


blood on the card (and hands)

by Sintharius



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 10:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18754243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sintharius/pseuds/Sintharius
Summary: Since their escape from Bilgewater, Twisted Fate has been acting strangely.And his companion is about to find out why.





	blood on the card (and hands)

**Author's Note:**

> My first entry into the League of Legends world! (and of course it just have to be a shipping fic...)

Since their escape from Bilgewater, Twisted Fate has been acting strangely.

The man was even more skittish than usual. Waking up from the slightest noise, seemingly startled at nothing. Avoiding being in large crowds when the old Fate basically lived in the spotlight. And- sometimes he saw Fate staring at somewhere near his neck, but quickly averting his eyes when noticed.

When questioned, he simply chalked it down to being nervous from almost dying and avoided the question if that didn’t work.

It didn’t deter Graves. It only made him suspicious of Fate, if anything.

And he committed himself to find out what has gotten into Fate and shoot the crap out of it if possible.

***

Graves had made no further progress in investigating what ailed Fate – the card master was incredibly secretive to whatever it was that happened to him - when it all came to a head during yet another heist gone wrong.

Twisted Fate had been oddly restless that day, Graves could see it in the small tics of Fate’s hands and feet. Bringing it up had resulted in a shouting match, with Fate insisting he was fine and Graves thinking otherwise.

Eventually they committed to robbing the vault anyway, having been in too deep with the plan to back out.

They have both gotten out with the loot, though Fate had gotten himself shot in the shoulder. Graves had had to distract the angry pirates with some quick thinking and a smoke canister to let Fate teleport back to the safehouse, before ditching his tail and heading back there himself.

He got back in the evening with food for both himself and Fate. Surely the card master would know how to take care of a wound, at least so he won’t bleed out before Graves returned.

What was in the safehouse gave him pause.

Fate was lying on the bed, hat missing and his hair askew, though the rest of his clothes are still on. Blood trailed from a small puddle on the floor to the edge of the bed - and Graves’ eyes darted to find the bullet wound, only to see smooth skin peeking through the torn clothes. It was as if Fate was never shot, if not for the dried blood caked on the edge.

_What?_

_Did Fate trick him again?_

Graves went over to check on Fate anyway, when a hand shot up and stopped him by the wrist.

Fate’s eyes were still closed, but his eyebrows were scrunching together. “Malcolm… don’t.” The card master’s voice is strangely weak, and it got Graves worrying.

“Tobias- if you trick me again to make me think you got shot-“

“Malcolm, please. You need to leave… I’m not exactly safe to be around right now.”

Fate was so pale. Graves briefly wondered if he was being delirious from shock.

“What are you talking about, Tobias?”

It was then that Fate opened his eyes.

Graves froze.

Twisted Fate’s eyes, instead of the soft purple irises or the blue glow of magic so familiar to Graves, were now a deep crimson red, pulsing with magic. _Like the moon peaking outside of their room-_

“…What did you do?”

Fate laughed, but it ringed hollow to Graves. “Got into deals, tangled with some people I shouldn’t have. Too late to back out. So I learned to live with it… Getting shot wasn’t part of the plan, though.”

It was vague, but it was enough for Graves to know that Fate got himself into something he won’t be coming back from. Like being turned into a vampire – they have seen their share of strange creatures during their time together, and vampires are no stranger to Graves. No wonder why Fate was so restless prior to the heist; tonight was the Blood Moon when magic peaked.

But to know that Fate was now one- he didn’t know what to think. Satisfaction at Fate getting what he deserved? Sadness at him losing his humanity? …Something else?

“You should leave, Malcolm… Before I do something I regret.” Fate was now breathing heavily and twitching- the signs of vampire hunger. If Fate didn’t feed soon, he will be attacking living things indiscriminately once the hunger set in and wipe out what was left of his rationality. Unless…

Something clicked in Graves’ mind. Fate needed him, and he was not going to run. Not when leaving Fate alone can mean devastation to them both.

He sat down on the bloodstained edge of the bed, before scooping Fate into his arms as gentle as he can while still facing each other.

“Malcolm… what are you doing?”

Fate sounded so faint now, and Graves hated it. “Saving your life, you idiot.” He leaned down on the bed, so Fate was on top of him. If he wanted, Fate could tear out Graves’ throat easily… he will just have to trust that his partner held on to his mind enough to avoid that.

Fate pulled himself up on his arms, before staring down Graves with his hands holding tight to his partner’s wrist. “Stubborn as always, Malcolm.”

And before Graves knew it, sharp fangs were sinking into the skin of his throat.

***

The Serpentine River is glowing red.

Graves can see it – light from the blood moon, casting the river and the surrounding area in an aura of faint red. It’s a little difficult to see the moon from where he is, pinned to the bed by Twisted Fate being on top of him.

Fate’s grip on his wrists is unusually strong. Graves can’t break out of it, even if he wanted to.

It only serves to remind him about the inhuman creature Fate is now.

Long, soft hair is draped across his shoulders and neck as Fate – _no, Tobias, he is Tobias now_ – buries his fangs into the thick curve of Graves’ throat. And yet, Graves feels only a strange calmness that keeps him still on their shared bed, bonds more powerful than any gold card.

He weaves his hand into the soft locks of hair, his other hand resting on his partner’s back. Not trying to stop his partner from doing what he’s doing, but enough to tell Tobias he’s still here, alive.

The room is quiet, save for the soft hitches of Tobias’ breathing whenever he swallows down a mouthful of blood, and Graves’ steady breathing.

Graves knows that he ought to be more worried about having a vampire at his throat during the Blood Moon, when strange creatures and oddities are at their strongest and craziest – vampires included. But he can’t bring himself to care. This is Tobias, his partner in crime… and the one his heart yearned for. If he has to bleed to save Tobias’ life and sanity, then so be it.

They have spent years fighting alongside each other, wounded covering each other’s back. This? This is just another way Graves can take care of Tobias, now.

***

It feels like an eternity, but when Tobias finally has his fill and let go of Graves, only fifteen minutes have passed.

The card master leans his forehead against Graves’, before closing his eyes and smiles. “You are a fool, Malcolm Graves.”

“Right back at you, Tobias Fate.” Tobias hasn’t taken so much to leave Graves lightheaded; he’d been through worse during heists and fights. But this was different. This was Graves offering to save Tobias, willingly and unflinchingly.

The crimson red in Tobias’ eyes receded, letting the familiar purple fill back in. He settles down on top of his partner’s chest, listening to the reassuring heartbeat. “For what it’s worth, Malcolm… I love you too.”

 _That_ caught Graves by surprise. He had never told Tobias of his feelings – too wrapped up in his own insecurity and false hatred of betrayal to fully voice his affections to the card master. And yet Tobias managed to dig it out of him anyway… what sort of magic do vampires have?

Before Graves could say anything, Tobias speaks up again. “Sleep, Malcolm. We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

And he does, with Tobias safe and soundly sleeping in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me at my [Tumblr](https://sintharius.tumblr.com)!


End file.
